Surgeon General Warns About Painkillers in Unprecedented Letter to All US Doctors

Never before has a U.S. Surgeon General sent a letter to every doctor in America, but that changed on Thursday when Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote to nearly 3 million doctors asking “for your help to solve an urgent health crisis facing America: the opioid epidemic.”

As National Pain Report has extensively covered, the government has placed the lion’s share of blame for overdoses on “overprescribing,” leading advocacy groups to warn that restricting access to pain medicine puts pain sufferers at risk of being undertreated.

CNN reported that in June, the Surgeon General said in a speech at the Aspen Institute, “I’ll tell you that just a few months ago, I was in Florida for an event and I met up with an old friend who’s a cardiologist. He’s trained at some of the best institutions in the country, he’s one of the most compassionate doctors that you’ll meet. And I was having dinner with him and I said, “Can you believe that we were taught that these opioid medications weren’t addictive in our training?” And he put down his fork and he looked up at me and he said, “Wait, you mean they are addictive?” like he didn’t know.”

Perhaps, Dr. Murthy was exaggerating to truncate a point, as it seems highly doubtful that any physician in the United States does not know that opioids can be addictive and abused. And, maybe, as the narrative surrounding prescription pain medicine begins to shift to counterfeit fentanyl and heroin use increasing as opioid prescriptions decrease, the government chose to find the front page of the papers in a different way – a first of its kind way.

I am asking for your help to solve an urgent health crisis facing America: the opioid epidemic. Everywhere I travel, I see communities devastated by opioid overdoses. I meet families too ashamed to seek treatment for addiction. And I will never forget my own patient whose opioid use disorder began with a course of morphine after a routine procedure.

It is important to recognize that we arrived at this place on a path paved with good intentions. Nearly two decades ago, we were encouraged to be more aggressive about treating pain, often without enough training and support to do so safely. This coincided with heavy marketing of opioids to doctors. Many of us were even taught – incorrectly – that opioids are not addictive when prescribed for legitimate pain.

The results have been devastating. Since 1999, opioid overdose deaths have quadrupled and opioid prescriptions have increased markedly – almost enough for every adult in America to have a bottle of pills. Yet the amount of pain reported by Americans has not changed. Now, nearly two million people in America have a prescription opioid use disorder, contributing to increased heroin use and the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.

I know solving this problem will not be easy. We often struggle to balance reducing our patients’ pain with increasing their risk of opioid addiction. But, as clinicians, we have the unique power to help end this epidemic. As cynical as times may seem, the public still looks to our profession for hope during difficult moments. This is one of those times.

That is why I am asking you to pledge your commitment to turn the tide on the opioid crisis. Please take the pledge at www.TurnTheTideRx.org. Together, we will build a national movement of clinicians to do three things.

First, we will educate ourselves to treat pain safely and effectively. A good place to start is the enclosed pocket card with the CDC Opioid Prescribing Guideline. Second, we will screen our patients for opioid use disorder and provide or connect them with evidence-based treatment. Third, we can shape how the rest of the country sees addiction by talking about and treating it as a chronic illness, not a moral failing.

Years from now, I want us to look back and know that, in the face of a crisis that threatened our nation, it was our profession that stepped up and led the way. I know we can succeed because health care is more than an occupation to us. It is a calling rooted in empathy, science, and service to humanity. These values unite us. They remain our greatest strength.

Thank you for your leadership.

(Signed: Vivek Murthy)

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tim
thats not my issue. kaiser is saying ALL patients are being weaned off. since kaiser is a provider and insurance co. i believe this is a huge conflict of interest. They stand to gain hundreds of millions of dollars by cutting the pain prescriptions. nor do i believe tbis is true. My ortgopedist just said the other day the state of CA I MAKING THEM DO THIS, WHICH IS AN OUT RIGHT LIE. CA IS ALLOWING DOCTORS TO DO THEIR JOBS AS LONG AS THEY ARENT STUPID AND OVER PRESCRIBING.
next my pcp is awesome, shes just following the rule set by kaiser. she kNOws i should not be cut back but cant do anything.
I have requested a pain management doctor out of kaiser. i have 2 things going for me. The closest kaiser pain clinic is 50 miles away and i dont have the transportation. she has set me up with a 1 time appt with the kaiser pain dr. only she can do the referral.
I intend on brINGIng all mris reports and list of meds since day 1, along with the many other treatments and the metabolism test that prooves the meds go thru me like water hence the need for high dosage. none of the injections or epidurals or phys therapy ever worked. only the the pain medication. so they should either make an exception for me at.kaiser or refer me. if not i will hire an atty foe malpractuce and co flict of interest along woth the lack of care i did get wbile at kaiser. they only gave me the prescriptions withour actually seeing the doctor monthly as tha tlaw states. I will not take this sitting down.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

MA, only those that don’t get some relief from opioids have a CYP-2D6 deficiency. It sounds like you may have be caught in one of the exit strategies used by all pain management doctors. I believe there are about 6 maybe 10 of them. They vary from immediate dismissal by being involved in illegal activity with the prescription. Selling the RX. Not testing positive for the drug prescribed, etc. Even patient attitude is on the list. Several are minor and only call for a more watchful eye on the patient including call in for pill counts and drug screen. I am not suggesting you fit any of these. Perhaps you just need to move on to another clinic. Once the patient/doctor relationship is compromised it is best to move on. I have found this to be true even with primary care physicians.

2 years ago

scott michaels

thats what i said my dosage would be too much. what im saying is your dr. should get you off of oxy period. and they just plain old vicadin. you should necer get that type of reaction from oxy.
sincr. you have fibro you should also ask about lyrica its non narcotic.
also let you doc know my dad died of cancer. he never felt any pai. from it. i on the other hand have so many issues the pain i feel is equal to knife to being shoved in my neck and spine. Cancer is not always pain ful. and every patient
different. 5 years ago maine was giving out pain pills like candy. now the pendulum swung to far the other way. we have injuredVETS living with extreme pain. BOTCHED SURGERIES and many other illlnesses that cause chronic pain JUST BECAUSE WE dont HAVE CANCER it doesnt mean our pain is not there. Because of maines disregard to people living with chronic pain they now hold the honor of the most suicides per capita because the peeps just cant live woth the pain and now the fastest growing heroin business and heroin overdose deaths. If the doctor there had the courage to fight back and lobby against the cdc guidine (which are not law. they are strictly voluntary). Legitimate patitients like yourself and others would get.the yreatment they need

2 years ago

StevefromMA

Scott, not sure if you were writing to me in response to my 5 mg Oxy. Afraid it did knock me out, at 2.5 I’m still somewhat sedated with congestion, sore throat, significant abdominal pain side effects, modest pain relief, all similar to Tramadol. My PCP would say you are on massive doses of opiates;no M.D. in MA would prescribe those unless you were dying from cancer. My leg pains are fibromyalgia, have been around years before my med trials, don’t respond to neuropathic pain meds or opiates, which I seem to respond badly to. Everyone, especially with fibromyalgia, responds differently to meds.

2 years ago

scott michaels

tessa i find it hard to believe 5 mg did that to you. leg cramps are sogns of withdrawls.
nor does this medication sedate. i have taken ot for 7 years and started with 30 mg 3 x a day no help. it wasnt until i was taking 80 mg 3 x a day did the medication take away the pain. mind you my pain is like a knife in my spine and neck.
you may be allergic. i suggest talking to your dr
and just try 10/300 norco= vicadin. or even.5 mg
personally i believe such a low dose is does nothing for pain and thats how people get addicted. they take.more.and more without talking to dr. then try.to stop cold turkey.
back to the cramps. there is an otc med for leg.cramps very cheap but they work great.
of you are having trouble sleeping dont take sleeping pill or valium. try melatonin or see of dr will give you a mild muscle relaxer.
this is just more proof that everybody is different. this oxycontin just relieves my pain. so side effects at all. the only.problem.os wjen the dr.wont write the prescription until 2 days before.im due for a refill than the pharmacy os out and i have to wait a week. Foe that reason i always save at least 6 to 12 pills a.month. going cold turkey will no doubt have me in the hospital by day 2. with extreme pain and withdrawls. These meds are stromg for those that are ot opioid tolerant and can get you sick. my deal is i am extremly.nontolerant to pain and overly.tolera t.to the medication due to a very fast..metabolism. the medication goes right thru.me before.it jass a chance.to.work 100%. my real paingt doc i had said i only.get.about 30 % of the medications efficacy. Agaim you may be allergic so see of your doc can.put you.on a hydro vs an oxy. or even a small dose of morphene. but get the leg cramp stuff its immediate relief.

2 years ago

StevefromMA

Hi Tim,

Still here. I finally tried 5 mg Oxy yesterday, fell asleep for two hours sitting at my dinner table. Couldn’t keep my eyes open. Unbelievable sedation, gradually woke up and it lessened over the next 12 hours but the really disappointing part was the pain relief,especially from the crushing and burning in my legs, was not great. Also, wonder if it intensified my middle insomnia somehow. So I took 2.5 mg this AM as a test. Much less sedation but still not able to drive, and, of course, even less pain moderation. I told my PCP I’d try it for a week. If I don’t end up using it, maybe the week’s break from Tramadol will reboot those receptors and Make Steve Great again LOL. I’m running out of pain meds to try and balancing sedation with modest pain relief is tough. I did not get any euphoria from Oxy that an acquaintance described, just like someone turning off ability to stay awake.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Urine testing weeds out the undesirables, keeps honest people honest and protects the doctors and staff you are being treated at. At your pain levels you will not feel any high. Just pain relief. As far as the 1 to 10 pain scale that is just a reference point for the individual on a return visit. Its all in the book. Opiates have been used for 4000 years. Opioids are more recent
These “contracts” and urine tests are ok with me.
On a side note. Used to a farmer could purchase fuel tax free for his farm equipment. The fuel had a dye in it. Some farmers would sneak and use it in their vehicles. State Agricultural people would go around and check for the dye in the carburetors of the farmers automobile. If it was found the fuel was being used in the family sedan there was a fine to be paid.
Same thing here, just a test.
Good luck in your quest for pain relief.

2 years ago

StevefromMA

Thanks for your notes, Tim. Others don’t seem to like the book as much as you do but I will check it out. I assume your pain is/was pretty awful to be on the meds you mentioned. I would say I have hit 9.5 a few times, fortunately not recently, mainly around 6-8 daily, bad enough to make just being around challenging and, aside from forcing myself to get up, go to supermarket, libe, deal with households tasks, plumbing disaster, etc., not able to do much. Certainly at upper levels of chronic pain you need very strong meds or a quick way out. My fear is of being in a fog for the rest of my life that makes me even less functional than I am now though for that two hours that Nucynta worked I was clear headed and would have driven. The side effects of constipation and exacerbating other problems, sorry for TMI, and maybe other side effects make me wary of opiates unless they make me essentially normal for a large part of the day. My new PCP is actually the one pushing oxycodone to ” improve my quality of life”. The pain management folks were pretty bad. Of course, being on opiates would mean here, DK if national law, I’d have to urinate in a cup monthly and have it tested to make sure I’m really taking, not selling it. That type of management gets me enraged and not likely to take opiates. Also, it seems that some percentage of folks find they need to keep increasing their dose just to stay even with the pain. My son has sent numerous folks to rehab for oxycodone as an HR person. Idk, I see my PCP Wed to address the pain question and other problems. It’s still astounding to me every day that three years ago I exercised 30 minutes daily and then biked six miles in the summer to a beach and now can’t bend down or walk around the block without a cane and am in bad pain after 30 years of just mainly low level annoyances.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

StevefromMA.”I have to decide whether to be in fairly bad pain all of the time or go on major opiates, a bad choice.”
Steve, I am curious as to why you say opioids are bad. You have been misled. See Dr. Nagel’s book “Needless Suffering” page 248 thru 253. ISBN # 978-1-61168-889-4
This book is only about $17 dollar from Amazon right now.
Get the book. You will be glad you did.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

To Scott Michaels,
One book you may want to check out and read. Needless Suffering by David Nagle MD. It just came out his year.
I have a suspension that you are dealing with the wrong pain physician and may need to fire him/her or them.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

@StevefromMA. The NuCynata felt like “Cymbalta Light” with the headache (brain ache), I did not know it was intracranial pressure. I did not know it had a SSRI effect or I never would have taken it. I was already at 50mg morphine sulfate a day with Oxycodone 7.5 for breakthrough but the night pain was killing me and I would have to come home early almost every day due to pain and weakness.
I am now on fentanyl patches and life is much better. They did not cut out my oxycodone.
These pain management doctors will treat you right if you let them make the decisions. NEVER as for a drug by name. You will be labeled a “seeker”.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Nucynta. You are the only person that I have found that has tried it.
Sounds like you have a good doctor.

2 years ago

StevefromMA

Funny, I tried Nucynta once last week on a day I couldn’t stand pain, unrelieved from my standard useless Tramadol. I’d gotten it for a week’s trial month’s on request from my now retired PCP. It nibbled around the pain and also spaced me out for two hours, then I was literally pain free for two hours, then it quickly faded. It was like a miracle for those two hours, as you said, zero pain for the first time in decades. I can’t justify taking it for only two hours relief, though. One of the potential side effects is increased intracranial pressure, makes me wonder if that was your headaches, though prescribers know a lot more about it than I do. Maybe it works longer for some people. My new PCP does not allow use of a med for intolerable pain even if I tell him I hold the Tramadol;he wants me to try oxycodone, a step up I am resisting despite the pain. I still have 13 emergency Nucynta and regardless of his treatment style, will certainly take one if I hit 9/10 again.

2 years ago

scott michaels

I AM LOOKING FOR EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN ON LONG TERM OPIOID THERAPY THAT HAS MADE YOUR LIFE BETTER. ESPECIALLY THOSE LIKE ME THAT ARE BEING FORCED TO REDUCE DOSAGES AND YOUR PAIN IS WORSENING. I WANT TO PROVIDE PROOF THAT LOG TERM OPIOID THERAPY HAS A HIGH RATE OF SUCCESS. EASE NO ABUSERS. ONLY THOSE THAT TAKE HIGH DOSE OPIOIDS AS NEEDED.
PLEASE SEND ME YOUR EMAIL WITH A 1 TO 2 PARAGRAPH history of your sucesses. I WILL BE SENDING TO SURGEON GENERAL, CDC TO OFFER THEM FACTS THEY SEEM TO IGNORE.
I AM TRYING TO START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AS WELL, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
SEND TOSHOEHAUSE@GMAIL.COM.
THANK YOU!

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Cara,
Have you tried tapentadol (NuCynta)?
The is one of the best new drugs for nerve pain. (bring it down to Zero for most patients).
It is worth a try. It is strong. I had a slight constant headache with it and stopped taking it.

2 years ago

StevefromMA

Yep, am here, Cara, thx for your post. My state has MMJ and I have tried a number of commercial edibles and making my own, resulting in several ODs and one pain-free two hours but couch locked and unable to move. Titrating the dosage has been very difficult, with the line between pain relief and being immobilized thin or nonexistent so far. Have not tried vaping. I have found MMj to be a powerful drug and highly anticholinergic, making urinating for this aging Boomer with problems scarily difficult. Sorry for TMI but folks should know that you should treat MMj with the respect that you would show any other major med. I have not tried any of the commercial prescription MMJ products, am sure no one will prescribe for fibromyalgia though, as you note, my PCP is pushing me to try oxycodone, a scary option way more dangerous. I actually hope Big Pharma gets involved with MMj S they will come up with effective dosages and strains for us IMO though probably too late for someone my age. I have to decide whether to be in fairly bad pain all of the time or go on major opiates, a bad choice.

2 years ago

Cara

This comment is to Steve, although I don’t know if you will see it.”My concern is about indequate pain research and why we haven’t found an effective, nonaddicting, minimal side effects pain med, something you think would be número uno for pharmacology.”

Steve, there is an effective, non-addicting drug out there, and it is medical marijuana.(of course the big pharma probably won’t get on board, because it can’t be patented).
I recently was put on medical cannabis, after being in chronic pain for over five years from a botched dental surgery. I have CRPS in my face(which I understand is pretty rare in the literature).Strangely enough, my younger sister has it in her leg and groin. I watched her become a horrible addict from the opiates that she was being prescribed.She is now red-flagged and cannot get the help that she needs. Why, the doctors don’t give out a timed lock box with the opiate prescription is beyond me.It could have saved countless lives(and families). I suppose it is too cost prohibitive.My sister was finally put on medical marijuana and is seeing a significant amount of pain relief.She went from being in a wheelchair on horrible days and a cane on her “better” days, to being able to do light housekeeping for herself, when our Mom can’t do it for her.It was because of her positive experience, that when it became legal in my state, I asked for it. I had to jump through hoops to get it, which I found ironic, because if I asked for morphine, they would have given it to me -no questions asked.My neurologist told me that “although I think that medical cannabis will help you, I am not about to start prescribing it at this juncture in my career”(although he did recommend it in a letter to my pain management specialist).So much for “Harm none.”
In the past five years,I was put on every anti-seizure drug, and opiate known to man.I am highly allergic and/or experienced horrific side effects to everything that I was on. This is the reason that I was able to obtain m.m.
In just one week of medical marijuana, I am feeling relief.The pain is still there, but I am dissociated from it.I strongly urge everyone on this board to ask their doctors about getting on it if they can.I was extremely suicidal from the continuous pain, and now I might have some hope.I have a friend who has MS,who also gets pain relief from m.m. My cousin in Canada used it for years for pain relief.Sadly for him, it isn’t an MS cure(at least it wasn’t for him), and he will be saying goodbye to this World on December 2nd, with the help of an assisted suicide physician.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Very well put Matt. Doctors have lost their rights to “practice” medicine. Medicine now run by an Enforcement agency with a gun, badge and a car. I interviewed for a job at a local jail once. The Captain said I am going to offer you 10,000 more on top of the salary. I said: “Why in the world would you do that”? He said ” Because you did not ask for the three things every controlling person wanting authority asks for” -A gun, badge and car-
Weakness and unprofessionalism and laziness has become the norm in all aspects of our business. It is how much money do I make and how good is your work-life balance. (How little do I have to work). I am not trying to insult the younger generation but this is what I see all over. I love what I do for a living, take great pride in my work and discoveries. It’s my hobby.
If I were a practicing physician-I would be furious.

Matt,
The responsibility for surrendering their rights as practioners certainly doesn’t lie at the footsteps of the patient. A large portion of doctors are taking the path of least resistance by capitulating to government intimidation. Especially when I ask frank questions of them with their response completely recognizies how convoluted the guidelines truly are. This is no mystery or something open for conjecture. The lie is a Big one and nothing is logical about the way they are directing it, but make no mistake about it, there are more restrictive mandates coming down the pike for Phyicians in the future.

A perfect analogy could be the government’s ongoing war on the rights of legal firearm owners. The gov is right now pushing another attack on semi-auto rifles that look evil in their eyes, along with a ban on magazines. If it were not for the grass roots fight for our 2nd Ammendment rights as law abiding citizens, our rights would have been stripped away along time ago.

Our government will close hospitals. They will seek ways to make hospitals cut corners to conform to the rigidity of Obamacare. Reimbursements are already too low and the amount of “hoop jumping” has increased 4 fold.

Anyone who believes this is an not an initiative to garner control and money at the expense of logic needs to readdress their thought process.

Our rights as citizens to live a life of liberty and the presuit of happiness is unfortunately at the mercy of those who have been charged with are wellbeing.

Any doctor who knows the truth and allows suffering to continue solely to protect their behinds, should not be surprised when their day of reckoning comes.

It is their responsibility to stand united and address the futility of the prohibition of opioids as everything history has taught us. They are connected directly to venues to speak their views. They have the best opportunity to put a stop to this lunacy immediately. They just need to speak out against tyranny.

2 years ago

Tamara Johnson-Scott

The ONLY things the DEA, FDC, and CDC are doing by creating this “opioid/narcotic” Epidemic is FORCING pain patients to SEEK OUT ILLEGAL ways to TREAT THEIR PAIN!!! They THINK there’s a PROBLEM now just WAIT!! The amount of SUICIDES are going to INCREASE with CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS too, not being able to obtain their NEED MEDICATIONS!! “PAIN CAN/WILL DRIVE A PERSON CRAZY”!!
SO by ATTACKING one “EPIDEMIC” these agencies are creating many other “EPIDEMICS” in its backlash!!! WAKE UP!!!

2 years ago

Tim Mason

I agree this could be a sordid attempt to affect a business model in the future. It seems a bit “far fetched”, however, that would be a great deal of effort for a far off pay back.
I do not agree with your statement “Since being a doctor has come down to following instructions, why not do away with 2/3rd’s of the Doctors and replace them with equally efficient PA’s.
PAs carry malpractice insurance but it is their “supervisor” or physician that that that the financial hit and disciplinary action by the State Board.
Recently a PA diagnosed a female with a vaginal infection, prescribed what seemed to be the correct antibiotic. The next day the hospitalist made a call to the physician’s office stating that the misdiagnosis and prescribing put the woman at deaths door.
While nurses may know a great deal more about functional pharmacology in most cases, they are not a replacement for a physician.
Opioids are cheap. New, alternate medicine just out of the pipeline are not. The pharma drug rep pushes these new medications to recover development, stability study cost and clinical trials. Many of the new ones are not worth mierda..

There is no need to inundate pragmatic thinking proponents of the Obama administration with statistical information, they are completely aware of the truth. They have intentionally propagated the lie that the epicenter of the opioid epidemic lies with chronic pain patients misusing their medication.

It’s not difficult to extrapolate the reason with our nation’s deficit at $20 trillion and nearly 50% the country’s populous receiving entitlements. Now couple that with 2/3rd’s of the population going into retirement. Who is left to pay the staggering amount in benefits with the mean income down (inflation adjusted) and only 1/3 left with the responsibility? Is this situation contrived? Of course it is. Is it a conspiracy to eliminate the most vulnerable of us? Of course it is.

Anyone who contrives the reason terminal cancer patients should be denied large amounts of opiate pain killers because of the possibility that they are at risk of addiction is so convoluted, it becomes impossible to retort or formulate an opposing argument.

Doctors are at risk of having their entire practice micro managed by government bureaucrats with little to no medical background. One day when little Johnny comes in with a scrapped knee and the physician decides that a #5 bandaid is appropriate before consulting the healthcare plan “playbook” that instructs that a #3 bandaid should have been used. Sorry, no reimbursement, not to mention a letter of non compliance inserted into their file.

Since being a doctor has come down to following instructions, why not do away with 2/3rd’s of the Doctors and replace them with equally efficient PA’s. Look at the cost savings to healthcare.

If Phyicians don’t assert their rights to the Doctor/Patient relationship unencumbered by Big Brother’s interference right now over pain management, they will end up prematurely retired, unemployed and replaced by foreign Doctor’s willing to sign a contract with a hospital for $75,000 a year.

Wake Up Dr. Who

2 years ago

Tamara Johnson-Scott

I AGREE! The GOVERNMENT has NO BUSINESS in MEDICAL MATTERS! You are absolutely 100% correct there are basically 2 different outcomes that’s going to come from this “narcotic abuse epidemic” 1sto will be a HUGE INCREASE in SUICIDE amongst the TRUE PAIN PATIENTS that are being FORCED to SUFFER because they CAN’T GET THE MEDICATION THEY NEED and 2nd will be a HUGE INCREASE in STREET DRUGS being used to CONTROL PAIN which will lead to ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSES that’ll SNOWBALL into yet OTHER issues with whatever drugs etc… and the CYCLE starts over with “NEW FINDINGS”or “STUDIES THAT SHOWED” from the CDC, FDA, DEA, that blah, blah, blah!!! OMG we know your work is very important for our health but “DAMN!! You FORGET we’re only HUMAN and can only take a certain AMOUNT OF PAIN before you go “BAT CRAZY” and either HURT YOURSELF or THE ONES YOU LOVE MOST or worse BOTH!!! I’m beginning to wonder if sone thing “FISHYS” going on?!?! WHY else would you make people “SUFFER”? As it says in Bible 1 Peter 4:1-6; Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for WHOEVER has SUFFERED in the FLESH has CEASED FROM SIN, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh NO LONGER for human passions but for the will of God. For your time that is past SUFFICES for doing (you’ve “paid your dues” so to speak) what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are SURPRISED when you DO NOT join them in the same flood of debauchery on judgement day and they malign/slander you; but they will give account (lie about you) to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead which is GOD! So there’s a “positive side” to being sick I guess!!😉

2 years ago

scott michaels

The governments goal is to outlaw all pain medications, let everybody buy bad heroin off the streets, overdose and die. PROBLEM SOLVED AND LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD SAVE.
THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE THEIR PLAN CAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHATS HAPPENING

2 years ago

scott michaels

un fortunately the only thing that makes national mew are the lies and innuendos.
the latest example is hillatry clinton accusing the VA of handing out “bags of opioids” when asked about the suicide rate of vets.
If they were just getting enough to handle their pain, the suicide rate would reduce drastically. VETS HAVE ALL BEEN CUT OFF OF THEIR PAIN MEDICATION SO THEY GO TO THE STREETS AND FIND BAD HEROIN AND FENTYNAL. THATS WHAT IS KILLING THEM.
WHY DOESNT SOMEONE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HEROIN IS NOW THE KILLER. PAIN MEDICATION IS SO HARD TO GET AND EXPENSIVE IF OBTAINED ILLEGALLY NOBODY WANTS IT.
LUCKILY I GET MY MEDICATION BECAUSE OF MY PAIN ISSUES AND I HAVE BEEN TAKING THEM FOR YEARS.
SOMEBODY OF STATUS MUST DECLARE THAT ALL OF THE STATISTICS ARE LIES. they also must have yhe courage to blame the dea for not doing their job of stopping the traffickers brining in heroin.
I have spoke to 50 pharmacists. ALL OF THEM SAY THE AMOUNT OF PAIN MEDICATIONS THE DISTRIBUTE HAS DROPPED OVER 70%. THEY ALSO SAID MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE AGED, VERY SICK AND IN A LOT OF PAIN.
THESE PATIENTS THAT WOULD RATHER DIE OR USE ILLEGAL DRUGS THEN LIVE WITH THIS PAIN.
THE DATA BASED IN USE WAS WORKING WELL, ONLY LEGITIMATE PATIENTS WERE GETTING OPIOID PAIN MEDICATION, FORCED URIN TESTS MADE SURE THEY WERE NOT USING OTHER DRUGS AND ALSO MADE SURW THEY WERE INDEED USING THE DRUGS BEING PRESCRIBED AND NOT SELLING THEM.
Because the Govt and dea saw heroin on the rises they had to keep attacking us. They must help our citizens get the pain medication needed again and at the same time put harsher penalties for drug dealers of heroin and any homemade narcotic.
only give drug addicts 3 trys at rehab. then jail. A year in jail with no visitors or contact with anybody that could supply them will sober them up.
Why.is this so hard to figure out.
ALL OF YOU DOCTORS OUT THERE CAN EASILY LOBBY AND GET THESE FACTS TO THE BEAUROCRATS.
Bags of opiates she actually said that. A vet cant get a bag of lunch from the VA. If they were handing out drugs like hillary says the vets would be without pain, but dropping like flies from overdoses, BECAUSE THEY HAVENT BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO TAKE THEM OR REGULATE THEM. GIVE THEM A WEEK SUPPLY OR A DAILY PICK UP LOCATION. JUST LIKE A METHADONE CLINIC, BUT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GET GOOD MEDICINE THAT HELPS NOT METHADONE THAT DESTROYS THE BODY.

2 years ago

H HEROLD

ALL THESE DOCTOR’S THAT NEVER EXPERIENCED CHRONIC PAIN, IT MEANS IT NEVER GOES AWAY, MEDICATIONS HELP EASE THE PAIN, SO WHY DONT YOU LEAVE US REAL CHRONIC-PAIN SUFFERER’S ALONE, AND GET THE DR. SHOPPERS AND THE FAKE PAIN PEOPLE, THAT HAS MADE IT A NIGHTMARE FOR US LEGITEMATE CHRONIC PAIN SUFFER’S

2 years ago

Jeremy Goodwin ,MS, MD

Tim:
Statistics is my weak area. I have other strengths. This needs to reach more than the choir. Other newspapers need to understand and publish but the reporters on here are timid if very nice and knowledgeable. I have tried. There is a difference between making waves and presenting honest information in a respectful manner.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Hello Dr. Goodwin.
I asked for your email address via our blog but have yet to get a response.
A fellow member of the American Chemical Society (ACS). He work for attorneys at the federal level all over the country fighting the injustice of State Agencies.
I feel he is someone we could reach out to and help us put these poor statistical studies to rest. He is well know at the federal level and is highly respected.
Use this communication to reach out to NP for my email address so I can give you his contact information. He may be at the next local section meeting and I will get a chance to speak to him personally.
This could be a “door opener’ of us.
Kind regards,
Tim Mason

2 years ago

scott michaels

if each doctor sent the SG A LETTER EXPLAINING HOW THE INFORMATION HE IS USING IS FALSE AND AND OUT RIGHT MISJUSTICE. LET 3 MILLION DOCTORS WRITE TO HIM EXPLAINING THAT ANY DR KNOWS EACH PATIENT IS DIFFERENT. NO DOCTOR IS HANDING OUT BAG FULLS OF OPIOIDS TO ANY BODY. ESPECIALLY VETERANS AND MRS CLINTON STATED ON SEPT 7TH. ACTUALLY THEY ARE BEING UN TREATED AND BEING FORCED.TO LIVE IN PAIN AND DECIDING TO COMMIT SUICIDE OR SEARCH OUT STREETNDRUGS. THAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM. THE SG NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF POLITICS AND WORRY ABOUT PATIENTS THAT CAN NO LONGER LIVE IN TERRIBLE PAIN and would rather die. Is this the real message they are sending us. Please die already do the system doesnt have to pay for you anymore

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Dr. Goodwin,
You put a lot out there. It was interesting see Russ Portenoy and his business associates-Big Pharma. It will be interesting to see how he validates his change of view on prescribing.
It seems that Pain Management doctors are not allowed to “Practice Medicine” in the historical sense, only operate by a legalistic mandate laid down by pain illiterates.
All medications have risks. We have become a nation of non risk takers. We did not get to the moon by not taking risks. (we did it with a slide rule an something less powerful than a Commodore 64)
I think you hit the nail on the head so to speak. These entities making claims need a qualified third party statistician using a standardized set of variables. There are obviously many statistical reports being reported as factual. The sad part is they are put in all forms of media and no one his held responsible for this misinformation. Sad

2 years ago

Robyn Blanpied, Ph.D, Major USAF, ret.

My husband was captured and medically tortured by the Contras.
He survived, but is in chronic pain. So he (and I) are being tortured by the medical corporate system.
Running from specialist to specialist like the proverbial unwanted hot potato is stressful and exhausting. My life and his are both hellish as we struggle to find help.
What is being taught in medical schools that MDs are so ill equipped to deal with pain? The dignity and professional standing of the medical profession is reaching crisis stage where they become specialized technicians, like the old Soviet Union.
Ironically, Marx tried to warn us.
If physicians can not lead the way, how can amateur patients?

2 years ago

Jeremy Goodwin, MS, MD

Dear Tim Mason,
The article that you cited is a typical physician sheep-type rehash of the work of others. No original thought and minimal insight. I found this paragraph to be telling:

“As the number of prescriptions goes down, the number of overdose deaths continues to rise. The Department of Health reported that 1,263 Tennesseans died from overdoses in 2014, compared to 1,062 in 2011. That’s a 19 percent increase.”

It was not followed with any focused insight into a paradox that should make one, at a minimum, ask, ” Why would tat be so if the problem stems from overprescribing?”

Interestingly, the chairman of the University of Tennessee’s Health Science College of Medicine’ Deoartmrnt of Addiction Medicine is a very forward thinking individual interested in expanding the range of treatments available for both addiction and persistent, intractable non cancer pain. I hope to join him in that endeavor.

The stare’s stance on the opioid ‘epidemic’ is of some concern to me but maybe with a more balanced presentation of the generally misused and applied statistics minds will change. I don’t think that most clinicians see the big picture: the sociopoliticoeconomic one, and the lack of compassion and understanding of pain that is the hallmark of the average clinician needs to change for the level of care to advance.

If you wish to communicate privately please ask the NPR staff for my email pointing to this response as evidence that I am offering it to you.

Thank you for standing up for patients and helping to elucidate the incorrect conclusions too often reached by those who are less well informed and therefore more likely to be prejudiced one way or the other. There is no easy solution but the current guidelines are grossly misguided and incorrectly treated as standards of care for all practitioners and patients. They were not supposed to be that but the authorities knew that they would be taken as such and in turn they have started to believe it themselves. That makes the fight for a rational approach to improving care much harder to achieve. Fear gets in the way.

I do think that most are genuinely looking out for the public’s safety but, like implicit racism, the lack of awareness of it and the lack of scientific training and intellectual rigour is the biggest barrier to progress.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Dr. Goodwin, I would like for you to take a look at the link I have provided below. It is written by Dr. Keith Anderson from Memphis Tennessee.
There are several hyperlinks in his story and many of them are full of misinformation.
I am diligently trying to be proactive and be able to find the “root cause” of many of the fallacies that are rampant concerning prescription medications.

Be for I rebut his article in the opinion section of the Chattanoogan I wanted you to take a look at his information. I was wanting to ask for a spreadsheet that they populate to come up with some of their ridiculous numbers.
I sure could use your professional insight. His link is provided.
Once again please read his article and then take a look at his propaganda

Interesting comments, will be interested in seeing if good M.D.’s like here and angry pts will be able to reverse political BS, tough to do. My concern is about indequate pain research and why we haven’t found an effective, nonaddicting, minimal side effects pain med, something you think would be número uno for pharmacology. I have sever FM pain, have failed all standard and nonstandard meds and treatments and failed first pain management doctor, real piece of work. I see second one next week but, realistically, am not sure what can address my varied severe symptoms. My Tramadol is useless, with nasty side effects, and a lone old Vicodin from wife’s dental work, only real opiate I’ve ever taken, had worse side effects and minimal pain moderation, would not be worth it. This is the 21st century and pain is an afterthought to doctors.

2 years ago

HJ

I came across this today and think this is an important indictment of how statistics are being manipulated:

“Scientists have been able to figure out illegal drug use by directly testing sewage water for cocaine and opioids.”

Hey, but this cannot tell which opiods were legally prescribed!!! This is just one example how people with legal prescriptions who are taking their drugs as directed are lumped in with heroin addicts when it comes to statistical analysis. The statistics you hear on the news are similarly suspect. “Opiod deaths” may be a heroin addict on the street, it may be someone who used opiods to commit suicide, it may be someone who accidentally mixed alcohol and opiods. It could even be someone who died of OTHER causes, who happened to take opiods.

I’ve shared this with PatientsNotAddicts, the National Pain Report and and Pain Network News. I hope my email doesn’t get lost in the shuffle

2 years ago

Tamara Johnson-Scott

Wonderfully written Mr. Mason! May I say on behalf of myself and ALL the other patients who are dependent on pain management, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OUT FOR US!!😊😊 I believe you “hit the nail on the head” so to speak when you say the “LACK OF EMPATHY”….. it’s sooo much easier to SYMPATHIZE, almost 2nd nature, but to actually “PUT YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES” Takes TRAINING, not everyone can do it so easily! I think the DEA/CDC/FDA members should ALL be required to take a class in EMPATHY and then SHADOW a family living with/in pain for a MONTH to really “SET IN” what they learned from the class!

Why can’t the CDC/DEA/FDA be more like the HUMANE SOCIETY?? At least ANIMALS aren’t made to “SUFFER” like HUMANS are!!! 😳

2 years ago

Jeremy Goodwin, MS, MD

Dear Tim Mason,
Thank you for your kind comments and professional observations.

I have written to the chair of s department of Addiction a Medicine to see if he would be interested in a collaborative effort to expand upon the points raised, adding a statistician to re-analyze government statistics that have, in my opinion, been grossly misused.

I feel for the many patients suffering in pain and fear as a result of non evidence-based generalizations and utterly ridiculous ‘one size fits all’ approaches to weaning their daily dose whether in need of it or not.

Again, thank you for your support.

Jeremy Goodwin

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Doctor Goodwin,
I commend you on your succinct style of writing. Your style is indicative of several things, one of which is your scientific intellect outside of mainstream medicine and that you understand the psychological, political and economic factors that enter into a complex equation.
Also, you do not hide behind some alias or initial, indicating you understand what your are talking about and are willing to defend it.
It appears that CDC/FDA/DEA and others have written articles and made claims that are not “peer reviewed”.
As you mentioned The “Opioid Epidemic” is the biggest falsehood I have ever seen. How can a new reporter validate a story like this “Five adults found dead in a Chicago Suburb, each had a needle in their arm”. “This is solid proof that over prescribing “pain killers” has got to stop” Absurd!! This now becomes newsworthy and all the major networks carry it as well as well know afternoon “Talk Shows” where everyone goes home with a prize at the end of the program.

The lack of empathy surrounding the pain patient is astounding.
I have worked as an analytical research chemist my entire life. Twenty-five of those years in pharma. You write well. I can tell you have seen a lot as well.
I feel these advisement board for CDC/FDA and others have put people in position of that do not have the credentials nor the experience to be there.
Another thing that is obvious to me is that the new SG is nothing but a result of nepotism.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Hazzy, No one here thinks Chronic pain is a joke. Just the opposite. I feel your anxiety associated with your problems. I, myself, have had two back surgeries, a spinal fusion using a polymer disc, screws and plate. I have had a total hip arthroplasty (need one on the other side now) and just got diagnosed via fresh MRI of moderate central canal stenosis, two compressed nerve roots and lots of painful scar tissue (perdural fibrosis)
The bad joke is that people like us have been called pseudo junkies, low-lives, etc.
What has happened is that a bunch of bought out members of the FDA, miss informed members of the CDC and testosterone infused members of the DEA (the ones that had three requests when they were hired 1.A Gun, 2. A Badge 3. A car have gone around and run amuck in medicine where they have not business medaling. (They actually need to be working on the drug smuggling cartels and such). But with so much danger involved in that work they have focused on the easy stuff, Physicians and sick people.

2 years ago

Jeremy Goodwin, MS, MD

We are short changing those in need of pain medicine as well as those needing modern addiction medicine. Recividism is often cited as the latter being a waste of time, but that is based on outmoded treatment program results. And the anti pain medicine movement is a shocking shirking of responsibility by clinician’s and the government both. The recidivism rate has to do with poor allocation of out of date treatment in most places based on concepts developed before we understood the role of neglect, abuse and trauma on the developing brain through its changes in body and brain chemistry as a chronic reaction to stress including PTSD— both complex and simple—and undiagnosed or misdiagnosed disorders , including complex PTSD, anxiety and depression…. Those physical chemical responses to stress in the developing person who is neglected, abused and / or traumatised, activate and deactivate genes that in turn create miswiring and changes in normal wiring patterns between the developing frontal lobes and limbic system in the very young. The result is aberrant processing of exogenous chemicals with a lack of impulse control over the abnormal biological drive for more drug or ‘reward’. No substitute is in place in the lives of those affected as far as enrichment of their lives goes. Animal research supports the value of the latter in ignoring the once thought of ‘irresistible drug drives’. That reward-chasing behaviour peters out after a year or two and fear of withdrawal kicks in as the primary drive. A ‘high’ is only icing on the cake ( just like how minimum wage versus a good wage works in terms of making basic payments vs being able to enjoy a vacation). Three weeks of detoxification without the right long term and intensive support and means to reverse those genetic switches cannot reverse years of problems, both biological and psychosocial let alone spiritual. However, he brain CAN be rewired under the right program. There are too few being funded. That ‘opioid epidemic’ is a terrible political falsehood and exaggeration and really a reaction to demand for and need of by doctors who want to legally reject patients with intractable non cancer pain. They are too much work for the majority of clinician’s who have chosen to avoid the education needed to help them properly. Such patients are the orphans of medicine. The government goes by advisors who have irresponsibly lumped many subgroups together. This makes the headline-making data inaccurate and indecipherable. The conclusions cannot be utilised responsibly. There are problems within the system indeed, but not enough to mandate a stupid movement that is increasing the amount of drug cartel money and power while leading to suicide of patients ( and hounded by-the boards-doctors) out of desperation. Those who were functioning better on well monitored opioid therapy as PART of a multi-modal approach are not doing so well now. They are dropping out of school and the work place. It is a disaster. The street drugs originally moved from cartel-based to industry… Read more »

2 years ago

HAZZY

I HAVE HAD TWO FAILED BACK SURGERIES, ONE A LAMENECTOMY AND A FUSION AT L4/L5, 4 KNEE SURGERIES, TO MY RIGHT KNEE !!!! IVE HAD A BRAIN TUMOR REMOVED IM ONLY ALLOWED TO LIFT 25lbs I CAN NOT BEND ALL THE WAY OVER. THE ONLY THING IM ALOUD TO DO IS WALK A 1/2 HR A DAY. SO, IF SOME OF YOU ALL ON THIS SITE, THINK CHRONIC PAIN IS A JOKE, YOU CAN HAVE MY BODY.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

Hazzy, Now that you have tried Cymbalta, keep the capsules, make a note of the side effects you had with it. Use a post-it note and rubberband it to the bottle.
The next time you are asked “Have you tried Cymbalta”? show them the bottle and note.
With that being said your doc knows you got an upset stomach, followed by a headache and sat for two whole days with your head in your lap trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
Those SSRI type drugs are the pits. They will make me more depressed than an armadillo that has laid out on interstate 40 for a week.
I report all my reactions to the FDA. They have a database for these things.
Some medications simply cannot be improved upon. Valium and Xanax are two of those.

2 years ago

Scott michaels

wow look at all of these comments. maybe they should be pr in ted and sent to the SG.
THEN MAYBE HIS EYES WILL OPEN TO THE REALITY THAT THE CSC ARE MORONS. The DEA IS WORTHLESS AND HIS JOB TOO SHOULD BE ABOLISHED IF THESE ARE HIS BELIEFS.
EACH PATIENT MUST BE TREATED INDIVIDUALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PAIN MGT.
WITH HEROIN AND FAKE FENTYNAL ALL OVER THE STREETS TODAY TOTAL BLAME IS ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
AS I’VE SAID BEFORE IF A PERSON IS STARVING THEY SEARCH TRASH CANS TO EAT. IF A PERSON IS IN DIRE PAIN AND A DOCTOR WONT HELP HE WILL SEARCH THE STREETS. IS THAT WHAT THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WANTS. IS THE OATH THEY ONCE BELIEVED IN NOW JUST A PARAGRAPH ON PAPER THAT’S AS MEANINGLESS AS OBAMA’S 2ND TERM?

When I picture the figure of THE SURGEON GENERAL, I envision a person in their mid to late 50’s maybe 60 with years of experience in the medical field. A person who has seen it all so to speak. One that not only has continued his continuing education requirements in medicine but has been in the trenches. He or she would be an individual that has seen first hand the pain and suffering in both the patient and the family. I see a real surgeon. Perhaps one that worked on a Hospital Ship, or in a Surgical Field Hospital. A doctor that had been surrounded by fast acting intelligent nurses both male and female.
I hate to say this but I believe we all got screwed by nepotism on this guy.
I let a doc doing his residency take my gall bladder out a few years back and I know you have to learn from practice and have practical experience.
I have been wanting the throw this in for a few days.
People struggling in pain deserve a little better than this.

2 years ago

HAZZY

I WAS JUST PUT ON CYMBALTA, IF YOU READ THE SIDE EFFECTS, YOU WOULD STOP TAKING IT, JUST LIKE I DID, SO I USED AN ALTERNATIVE, MED AND I CAN’T FUNCTION RIGHT……….IT’S MADE ME STUPID AS HELL !!!!! PLEASE LEAVE US CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERER’S ALONE AND LET US TAKE THE MEDS THAT HELP US, IVE BEEN ON OPIOIDS FOR ALONG TIME, SO I TRIED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND IT DIDN’T HELP ONE BIT !!!

Hello Dr. Stark,
Well said! I found the “Take The Pledge” as condescending rubbish. Why would a Doctor wish to sign something that tells him/her we will monitor everyone of your movements (as if they don’t already)?
You are correct about Gabapentin. For the 2 months I tried it, I experienced short term memory loss.

It would be great if the Doctors who participate on the National Pain Report would sign a pledge to oppose the government’s attempt to eliminate your autonomy.

Tim – Sorry for the wrong link, but sometimes I have multiple articles opened at the same time. What I said was pretty concise. We are considered disabled, therefore if someone like a pharmacist should take it upon themselves to deny filling your prescription due to their personal beliefs, they are breaking the law and subject to the American Disabities Act. Here is a link to the form –https://www.ada.gov/complaint/

By redefining a disability as a disease, they are effectively removing select individuals from prosecution by discrimination. I hope that helps.

2 years ago

Bruce Stark, MD

The surgeon general letter is horrible, it’s so 2009.
The CDC & now the surgeon general keep blaming us front line docs doing the hard work of treating chronic pain.
They are as supportive as the DA of Baltimore & the mayor of NYC are of their cops doing the work on the streets.
Take the Pledge…really? what am I in middle school?!?
When Dr Murthy’s back pain kicks he will get only Lyrica and Gabapentin, this way he can be forced to retire when his brain stops functioning.

2 years ago

Tim Mason

“My point was to highlight the danger of Chronic Pain Patients being turned from a disability to a disorder. I have mention on several of my posts that one of the ways to fight this is to use the American Disabilities Act ”

A spinal pathology, documented properly as well as several other diseases are disabling and a cause of disability. I am not sure what your are claiming.

2 years ago

Tamara Johnson-Scott

Reading the majority of responses I can’t help but FEEL for them ALL!!😔 I SINCERELY HOPE our Surgeon General takes the time to read at least a few! You can hear the “PAIN AND FRUSTRATION” they’re all going thru and dealing with as best they can! GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU! Going from working in the medical field to permanently disabled as a result of a “simple” Cholecystectomy that rendered my biliary junction damaged, known as Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction! A LOVELY AFFLICTION **(sarcastically said) that renders suffers such EXCRUCIATING PAIN that they literally SCREAM FOR HELP and can NOT stop themselves from screaming until they get whatever it takes to STOP the PANCREATIC ATTACK!! That’s what the disease causes either it’s closed so tight that the pancreatic digestive juices get backed up or its open so loose it cause Crohn’s like symptoms or IBS symptoms so YAY for me!! NOT!!😲 Seeing first hand what all patients will do for a “FIX” as far as LYING and the stories they told (some comical) I remember thanking GOD that I wasn’t “sick”! WWWEEELLLLLL guess what?!?! Lol YEP KARMA GOT ME!!😯🤕🤒😷😢😭 Now I’M the “FREQUENT FLYER” in the ER!! That “NAGGING PATIENT’ my doctor HATES to see or hear from, etc…. Point is I’ve now gotten to EXPERIENCE BOTH SIDES of this narcotic/opioid dilemma! BEFORE I got sick I viewed patients seeking “pain relief” as ADDICTS that used the ER for DRUGS!! NOT anyone I’D EVER hang out with for sure!😤 BUT GOD SEEN HOW CLOSED MINDED I’D BECOME so he HUMBLED me by SHOWING me first hand what ALL SICK PEOPLE GO THROUGH day to day! I got the MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR😉 ALTHOUGH there’s an “Epidemic/Problem” with Pain Medicine in general YOU’VE FORGOTTEN ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING THERE TRULY ARE SICK PEOPLE WHO HAVE/NEED TO TAKE PAIN MEDICINE DAILY PERIOD!!! But the DEA has EVERY DOCTOR SCARED “SH**LESS” to prescribe PAIN MEDICINE that will HELP their patients!! “FIRST DO NO HARM” THE PLEDGE/OATHE ALL Doctors take states “to do no harm” Takes on a new definition now! Now most doctors will say that they are “doing pts. no harm” by finding “alternative and some invassive” new ways to treat pain and WON’T re-prescribe or newly prescribe pain meds. Nieces that’s all fine and dandy if YOU’VE NOT BEEN ON THEM FOR YEARS however this is NOT a good idea AT ALL!! TRUST ME it’s already “difficult navigating” through the disease itself, trying to find that “NEW NORMAL” we’re told we have to do PLUS deal with the everyday STRESSES of life ALONG WITH ALL THE PAIN and now NO “INSTANT” RELIEF AVAILABLE because….🤔😲 OUR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER so it’s EASIER to “JUDGE” and “SENTENCE” EVERYONE who NEEDS PAIN MEDICINE as “ADDICTS LOOKING FOR A FIX”!! Well, they’re RIGHT about one thing True Pain Patients ARE “DRUG ADDICTS” only they HAVE TO BE of prescribed controlled pain medicines! 😊 PROUD TO SAY THAT’S ME!!! ANYONE/EVERYONE has the ability… Read more »

It appears the over reach of Big Bother has successfully had the petition taken down. Shame to see our Constitution shredded.

To: GEO SIMS,

Thank you for describing the location of the small print disclaimer located in the toolbox.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Administrator of SAMHSA reports directly to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is a uniformed service of more than 6,000 health professionals who serve in many federal agencies. The Surgeon General is head of the Commissioned Corps.

The flow chart clearly shows that the Surgeon General authority encompasses all of the branches of HHS including SAMHSA.

My point was to highlight the danger of Chronic Pain Patients being turned from a disability to a disorder. I have mention on several of my posts that one of the ways to fight this is to use the American Disabilities Act as a defense.

In one of the National Pain Report articles entitled “Burnout”, an example of a pharmacist’s over reach of power was combated by a complaint to the ADA.